Creamy Lemon Garlic Pasta
Linguine gets a light coating of lemon-garlic Parmesan sauce, then a topping of grilled zucchini, red bell pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, and parsley. Lemon slices finish the family-style bowl.
Cook the pasta separately so it stays al dente, and save some of its cooking water to loosen the sauce as you toss. Keep the heat low when adding Parmesan and lemon juice; a hard boil can make the cream sauce grainy.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces linguine (340g)
- Kosher salt, for the pasta water and to taste
- 2 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds (400g)
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips (150g)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (45g)
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 3/4 cup heavy cream (180g)
- 1 large lemon, for zest and juice, plus 3 to 4 thin lemon slices for serving
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan (75g), plus more for serving if desired
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained if oil-packed and cut into small pieces (45g)
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus a few leaves for serving
- Black pepper, to taste
Makes 4 servings. Allow about 15 minutes to prep and 20 minutes to cook.
How to Make Creamy Lemon Garlic Pasta
- Prepare the toppings: Slice the zucchini and pepper. Zest and juice the lemon, and set out the lemon slices for serving. Drain and chop the sun-dried tomatoes if needed.
- Cook the linguine: Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the linguine uncovered, stirring occasionally and checking at the earliest package time. Drain when tender with a slight bite, first reserving at least 1 cup of pasta water.
- Grill the vegetables: Preheat a large grill pan over medium-high heat for several minutes. Pat the zucchini dry and brush it and the pepper lightly with the olive oil. Arrange the zucchini in a single layer; leave it undisturbed until dark grill marks form, about 2 minutes on the first side. Turn once and cook until tender but still holding its shape. Grill the pepper strips, turning as needed, until slightly softened with a few browned edges but still bright red. Work in batches rather than crowding the pan, then transfer the vegetables to a plate.
- Start the sauce: Melt the butter in a large skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, without browning it. Stir in the cream and lemon zest. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 3 to 5 minutes, until the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon. It should bubble at the edges, not boil hard.
- Add the cheese and lemon: Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the Parmesan a little at a time until melted, then add the lemon juice gradually, stirring and tasting as you go. Do not let the sauce boil. If it becomes too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water.
- Toss the pasta: Add the drained linguine and sun-dried tomatoes to the skillet. Toss over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, adding pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce clings lightly to the strands without pooling. Season with black pepper and salt to taste.
- Serve: Pile the pasta loosely in a shallow serving bowl. Arrange the zucchini and pepper on top, leaving the grill marks visible. Scatter over the parsley and tuck overlapping lemon slices at the rim. Serve promptly.
Keeping the Sauce Smooth
Gentle heat matters most once the cream, Parmesan, and lemon come together. Add the cheese in small handfuls and the juice gradually; boiling the sauce at this stage can make it grainy or separated. If it starts to look uneven, take the skillet off the heat and toss the pasta with a splash of reserved pasta water.
The linguine will continue absorbing sauce as it stands. Add another splash of pasta water if it looks dry before serving.
Getting Grill Marks on the Zucchini
Dry slices and a preheated grill pan help the zucchini mark instead of steam. Leave space between the rounds and wait for dark stripes before turning them. A regular skillet can brown the zucchini if you do not have a grill pan, but it will not produce the same defined stripes.
Variations
Use Half-and-Half
Replace the heavy cream with half-and-half for a less rich sauce. Keep the heat low, especially after adding the lemon, and do not let the sauce boil.
Add Chicken or Shrimp
Serve with or fold in about 1 pound of separately cooked chicken or shrimp just before serving. The grilled vegetables remain part of the base version.
Serving and Related Recipes
Offer extra Parmesan and black pepper at the table. A simple garden salad or garlic bread pairs well with the pasta. For other pasta options, try Creamy Garlic Parmesan Pasta, Baked Feta Pasta, or Creamy Garlic Shrimp Pasta.
How to Store and Reheat
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet over low to medium-low heat with a splash of water or cream, stirring until warmed through. To use a microwave, add a splash of water, cover, and heat in short intervals, stirring between them. Freezing is not recommended if you want to preserve the creamy texture.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 4 servings: 720 calories, 22g protein, 35g fat, and 78g carbohydrates. Approximate nutrition per 100g: 165 calories, 5g protein, 8g fat, and 18g carbohydrates. Values vary with ingredient brands and portions.
Equipment
- Large pot
- Colander
- Grill pan
- Large skillet or saucepan
- Citrus zester
Ingredients
Pasta and sauce
- 12 ounces linguine (340 g)
- Kosher salt, for the pasta water and to taste
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (45 g)
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 3/4 cup heavy cream (180 g)
- 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan (75 g), plus more for serving if desired
- Black pepper, to taste
Vegetables and garnish
- 2 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds (400 g)
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips (150 g)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained if oil-packed and cut into small pieces (45 g)
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus a few leaves for serving
- 3 to 4 thin lemon slices, for serving
Instructions
- Slice the zucchini and red bell pepper. Zest and juice the lemon, and prepare the lemon slices for serving. Drain and chop the sun-dried tomatoes if needed.
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the linguine uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender with a slight bite. Reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the linguine.
- Preheat a large grill pan over medium-high heat for several minutes. Pat the zucchini dry and lightly brush the zucchini and pepper with olive oil.
- Grill the zucchini in a single layer without moving it until dark grill marks form, about 2 minutes on the first side. Turn once and cook until tender but still holding its shape.
- Grill the pepper strips, turning as needed, until slightly softened with a few browned edges but still bright red. Work in batches to avoid crowding, then transfer the vegetables to a plate.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, without browning.
- Stir in the cream and lemon zest. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 3 to 5 minutes, until the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon. Keep it bubbling gently at the edges; do not let it boil hard.
- Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the Parmesan a little at a time until melted, then gradually stir in the lemon juice. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water.
- Add the linguine and sun-dried tomatoes. Toss over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, adding pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce lightly coats the pasta. Season with black pepper and salt to taste.
- Transfer the pasta to a shallow serving bowl. Arrange the zucchini and pepper on top, scatter with parsley, and tuck the lemon slices around the rim. Serve promptly.
Tips
- Reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water before draining; use a splash at a time to loosen the sauce.
- Add the Parmesan gradually and the lemon juice slowly over low heat to help keep the sauce smooth.
- Pat the zucchini dry and leave space between the slices so they grill rather than steam.
- Let the grill pan preheat and wait for dark grill marks before turning the zucchini.
- Add another splash of pasta water if the linguine absorbs the sauce while it stands.
Variations
- Half-and-Half: Replace the heavy cream with half-and-half for a less rich sauce. Keep the heat low and do not let the sauce boil.
- Chicken or Shrimp: Fold in about 1 pound of separately cooked chicken or shrimp just before serving.